GROWTH CHANGES

The day has finally arrived when you can bring home that cute bundle of eight week old puppy.  A nice square head, broad muzzle and underjaw, good stop, dark mask, slight wrinkle, well arched feet, tail reaching to the hocks, a good bite, bluish/grey eyes and those lovely correct ears, are all the qualities of a good Bullmastiff puppy.

Red and fawn puppies may have darker markings on their chest and down their back and tail.  This will fade as the puppy gets older.

You may see amongst the litter other traits such as white markings, crank or short tails, long or narrow snipey muzzles or dome shaped heads.  The only white that is permis‚sible is a small white mark on the chest.  These features don't stop the Bullmastiff from being a good guard dog or family pet, they are just unsuitable for breeding or showing.  If the bite is under at 8 weeks, the chances are that it will finish up fairly undershot.  The standard requires that the mouth be, when fully mature, level to slightly undershot

Suddenly within the next few weeks everything starts to change -

Teeth & ears: at about 10 weeks of age teething commences and the ears that were sitting perfectly are now flying away from the head or folding back.  Massaging the ears forward, giving the puppy large (uncut) marrowbones to chew on, or taping the ears in the correct position all help.  This changing process can last until the puppy is approximately nine months.  Maintaining the ears folding over helps to give the head the square appearance.

Eyes: from this early age (8 - 10 weeks) the eyes also commence to change from the bluish/grey to finish up dark brown or hazel.

Feet: this is a common problem with young puppies - down on pastern and splayfeet.  Too much bounding around, overweight, jumping up and down stairs or in and out of the car, spending too much time on shiny surfaces (i.e. linoleum or smooth concrete), can all attribute to this.  Correction can be aided by cutting back on food intake, calcium increased, raising off the ground of food and water bowls and by placing small rough stones (screenings) in kennel runs.  Regular trimming of the nails may be necessary during the early months.

Head & body: while all these changes are happening, the head and body are also changing.  Suddenly you have a leggy, pin headed, ugly duckling on your hands; don't despair.  When you see other Bullmastiffs around the same age as your one or its littermates, don't compare.  All Bullmastiffs are individuals and grow and change at different stages.  If you don't like your puppy at 8 - 9 months, remember what it was like at 8 weeks and "hang in there" until it is 14 - 16 months.  Maturity cannot be rushed along by trying to change your leggy youngster into a solid dog by fattening them up to fill them out, this will only damage the bones.  Some Bullmastiffs can be mature by 14 months whilst others not until 2 1/2 - 3 years of age.  Give the dog time and all body parts will equal out and you will end up with a very nice, square headed, compact bodied Bullmastiff.

Even if your Bullmastiff is not for the show ring, remember your little puppy will grow very fast and if training is not done, before you know it you will have a large dog that does what it wants.  Training can begin once your puppy has settled in.  The most effective form of training is in small time frames, 2 - 5 minutes at a time, once or twice a day.  Whilst still a youngster don't take your puppy for any walks longer than 10 - 15 minutes.    Once inoculations have been completed, socialise your puppy, not necessarily in the showing environment, just down to the local shops or market before the crowds arrive.  The first few months makes all the difference.   Be sure to have a kennel that your puppy can be confined in if need be.

By Barbara Wright

RAISING YOUR BULLMASTIFF PUPPY - A FEW SIMPLE GUIDELINES

Your puppy will need lots of gentle attention when you first introduce it to its new surroundings as it will be in a completely new environment to what it is used to and will be missing its mother and siblings.

If you have another dog, ensure your puppy is protected from any rough play as this can frighten your puppy as well as put it in danger of injury.  It is important that you are able to secure your puppy away from other dogs when not being supervised as adult dog especially, if they are large and/or heavier than your puppy, can cause irrepairable damage to young and growing bones and joints if they fall or jump on them.

Your puppy should have an area that is 'theirs'.  Whether this be a small run, a laundry or a crate, this area should be a safe zone for your puppy to be able to retreat when necessary and to place them away if necessary.

If you have young children, make sure they are supervised and gentle with your new puppy.  Please discourage young children from picking up your puppy.  A Bullmastiff is quite heavy, even at eight weeks of age, and dropping a puppy again can cause irrepairable damage to growing joints and bones.

Young puppies cannot maintain body temperature as well as adult dogs.  Your puppy will require a clean, warm, draught-free place to sleep. A pup should be housed in a placed that allows for frequent interaction with the human members of the household.

You will need a heavy container for water, as large puppies have a habit of knocking over their water containers.  Make sure it is not too tall and skinny (such as the galvanized cleaning buckets often used for older dogs) tat may allow a puppy to get caught upside down and drown.

Please ensure that your pup always has access to clean water at all times that is changed daily.

ìHip Dysplasia is not entirely an hereditary disease and environmental factors such as feeding, exercise and, even, the position the young dog is made to sit in, may be responsible for 60% of the occurrence of the hip dysplasia changes seen on X-Ray.  The disease has only a moderate hereditability of 30 to 45%".

To help reduce the risk of hip dysplasia, I strongly suggest that you adhere to the following guidelines:-

NEVER allow your puppy to jump in or out of the car, dog trailer, lounge, bed, or any place higher than itís trampoline bed. (At least until the puppy is 18 months of age).

NEVER allow your puppy to jump off the back of a Ute, from the back of a 4WD or any other high obstacle AT ANY AGEÖ..EVER.

NEVER over feed your puppy.  Bullmastiffs ADORE food, but a large heavy boned pup that is also over weight puts a lot of unnecessary stress on joints, bones and ligaments that could lead t disaster.

NEVER over-dose on calcium and vitamins.  Good quality commercial foods provide a balanced diet and donít require any additional supplements.  If you feel you dog requires any additional additives to their diet, please contact us for advice FIRST.

TRY to feed your dogsí whole days dinner in two or three smaller portions.  Better to feed smaller amounts more often than in one large sitting.  Puppies MUST be fed at least twice a day.

NEVER over exercise your puppy.  Let your puppy exercise itself.  For at least the first 12 months of its life.  Make sure your puppy has some enforced resting times.

NEVER allow bigger or older dogs to jump on your puppy or rough play with them.  Supervise at all times and keep the older dog on a restraint.

NEVER allow young children to pick up your puppy.

ALWAYS pick your pup up with one hand under its chest and the other supporting its bottom.  Never allow you pup to jump out of your hands.

STAIRS are a concern for your puppy.  Please ensure you have barricaded any stairs that you have so that your puppy does not become at risk from falling down them.

Please consult your breeder or Vet with any concerns you have regarding your puppy and itís care.  They should be willing and grateful that you are taking the correct measures to ensure that you have a happy healthy Bullmastiff.

By Nikki Marshall